Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Alex Wood Talks 2017 Sign-Stealing Astros, and 2020 Role with LA

While a lot of the attention around baseball is on the Houston Astros, one footnote in the matter almost gets lost. Notably, Alex Wood has returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers on one-year free agent contract.

And why is Wood relevant to any decent Houston Astros discussion? First and foremost, Wood was the only pitcher to defeat the 2017 Astros in the postseason in their home park.



Now, Wood joins David Vassegh of AM570 LA Sports to talk more about the subject. Also, he talks about his return to the Dodgers’ organization in 2020.

Undeniably, I have seen a lot of speculation amongst fans that Wood could serve as a good left-handed reliever. However, Wood says that he came back to Los Angeles to be a starting pitcher.

“I love LA and love the Dodgers, but if I was coming back to pitch in the bullpen it really wouldn’t be an option for me.”

Of course, this is the first time that anyone has confirmed the lefty’s role for the 2020 season. He will be in the starting rotation, or at least fighting for a spot in spring training.

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Next, Wood talks about the seriousness of the situation in regards to the Astros’ sign-stealing.

“All I will say about what I tweeted is the casual fan doesn’t understand the gravity and severity of what has taken place. I know that 99 percent of fans understand the gravity of the steroid era and the impact it had on the game, with the level of cheating that it is. In my personal opinion, what is currently going on is even more serious between the two things. Knowing what pitch is coming – that’s the whole game – that’s the chess match. The game is to mess hitters’ timing up, which is impossible to do if you know what is coming”

Finally, as player after player weighs in on this issue; it begins to sink in just how bad it was. It becomes very concrete and apparent that the 2017 Dodgers – no matter how great they were – were facing a stacked deck in the 2017 World Series. In some ways, it’s remarkable that the Dodgers came as close as they did to winning that title after all.

NEXT: A Glance at LA’s Upgraded Starting Pitching Depth

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12 Comments

  1. To be fair, I doubt they knew every pitch, ever batter correctly. Weren’t signs changed frequently? I wonder how much they really benefited? They won 107 games with the same core of players and no proof of cheating. Much harder to cheat in 2019. I think it was much bigger than 2 teams.

  2. It was amazing how they almost won despite the cheating. Without Roberts game 2 saboteur job we would’ve actually won in spite of all the cheating instead of almost winning despite the cheating

    1. Don, have you noticed how ironic the timing of all of this has been favoring Kasten and Friedman? I don’t necessarily think there’s any conspiracy, but we were all just getting to the media about the greed and disrespect the FO has in regards to the paying customer and their massive bankroll they’ re pocketing at the expense of 33 years. Now they’ he got the ” biggest EXCUSE” of all time! Not winning had nothing to do with their blatant unwillingness to pay for top tier talent, ” instead” now they have the entire sports world crying with sympathy and sorrow for their poor victim Dodgers!

      1. Kirk I actually had that same thought. It’s very odd. Unfortunately people will forget that there’s still a problem here with Guggenheim. Maybe they would’ve gotten lucky in 2017 but it didn’t happen and it never will the way they do things

  3. Don have you notice how much Kasten and Friedman benefitted from the suspensions etc? The fan base was extremely filled with discontent about the lack of spending effort, and also the disrespect towards the paying customer Kasten exhibited just recently.. I don’t feel it was a conspiracy, but it definitely saved the FO and turned the disgruntled fan base and baseball world into a bunch of sympathetic apologists for the poor victim Dodgers!

  4. You know, I really think the Dodgers are not going “woe is me” right now. And I’m sure a couple of them actually read these blogs. They are going into this season with a serious attitude. They are angry. Upset. And — now — determined as ever. And we as fans need to stand behind them. I don’t want the 2017 Trophy. They can keep it. Because 2020 is the year MLB is going get stood on it’s ear by LA. And it is time for us to stand behind our Boys in Blue.

    1. Wayne I recall them saying that going into this past season and all they did was beat up on bad teams and when the time came to back up their words they did what they always do, players choking and manager doing his part to sabotage.

  5. To each his own Wayne. Good luck with that. Unfortunately supporting the team means buying tickets, merchandise, MLB package etc. Which is supporting Money ball! I’ll support every player that can get out and give their career a chance to win a title somewhere else. Because their futile idealism of progressive baseball is a failure! It has never worked, and it never will. Change this Billy Bean dream theatre, and I will be back in a heartbeat! Some say that’s negative , and others with 33 years of head scratching concur!

  6. Remember Kirk, that a lot of of what has taken place in these past few Octobers is a result of that ‘captain’ who was allegedly ‘running’ the team on the field. I am sure you know who I am talking about as well.

    1. Yes I do Paul. Roberts makes such poor decisions that I have to accept that any former pro ball player would have to be either ” slow” or not making any decisions himself. Upstairs Andy has his blueprints all printed and downloaded for the spin rates, altitudes,barometric pressures and platooning charts for travel days and midweek flight charts. All determining who starts against inner league opponents, and which ,220 hitter he will use as the DH, with reasoning to save his 230 hitters for the playoffs. And yes, that’s just about how ridiculous the entire money ball formula is..

  7. MLB is obligated to take the following action:
    Press conference identifying ( by name) the individuals involved.
    Stripping away the title/trophy on live television.
    Remove all Astro’s individual players stats for the entire 2017 season to include the playoffs MVP and world series.
    All players involved band from baseball and hall of fame.

    This was the the first time. It took lots of “practice” to get the signs in order.

    Take responsibility MLB and do what it is necessary or the game of MLB will take a dive just like pro boxing .

  8. Baseball fans:
    At any game the Astros play against your team, I suggest we all stand up and turn our backs on the first at bat for the Astros.
    No boos. No cat calls.
    Just fans showing how they feel about a team that cheats.
    Imagine. A whole stadium silent. Turned away from the game.
    A perfect way to tell the MLB what they’re risking by sweeping this atrocity under the rug.

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